Yes, today I was that aide that caused more work for the nurse instead of less. But that's not even the worst of it, because my mistake put a patient in danger.
My patient was in respiratory distress and on a bipap, being fed continuous tube feedings through an NG tube. This patient has two chest tubes, both with air leaks and the doctor wants to do a procedure this afternoon to try to seal them up. The nurse wants me to do the patient's bath before all this happens, so she offers to help (pt is total care and can't turn) later in the day after I get my other baths done.
So I go on with my day, get the other seven patients bathed and fluffed, thinking I'm doing such a good job etc etc. Well, it comes down to about an hour before the procedure and the nurse is running around like a chicken with her head cut off, plus the fact that it's shift change and she's trying to get things done before that happens. Doc decides to show up early (figures, right?) and suddenly I have several nurses (offgoing, oncoming, and charge) and the doc on my case about getting this person a bath. They're all genuinely busy, so I decide I'll just go and give him a partial spongebath right quick to the places I can reach by myself.
I'm a bit irritated at the situation and the several people telling me to do something I can't do alone but not offering to help. Focused all on me and not the patient.
I forgot to turn the NG tube feeding off when I laid the patient flat.
The NG tube had become dislodged earlier apparently and come out just enough that the feedings were going right into the lungs, made even more serious by being laid flat. Patient aspirates, O2 sats go in the tank, all kinds of nastiness.
Pt eventually got stabilized, but lots of animosity directed towards me from the nurses for the rest of the shift. Especially from that morning's nurse that had to stay four hours after her shift was done to try and fix the patient up. And I completely deserve it, I know. I feel horrible, especially since this whole thing could have been avoided had I been focused and paying attention. It was negligent on my part and I'm having a hard time dealing with that.
I know it's a mistake I won't make again, and the patient is fortunately fine, but I'm not sure how to mend things with my coworkers, or with myself. I've been an aide for three years, but this is by far the biggest mistake I've ever made, and it was so easy to make it that it scares me a little. My faith in my ability to be a safe caregiver is a little shaken. I know that it will take time for my confidence to build back up and that I will be more careful in the future.
I guess the advice I'm looking for in the midst of this "confession" is, as nurses, what would you want an aide to do the next time you worked with them after something like this? How could they show you they were really a good aide with their heart in the right place? Any advice/suggestions would help.
We all make mistakes. That is one you'll never make again. If you are a good nurse's aide in general then I doubt anyone is going to hold this against you. Not only that sounds like the tube wasn't where it was supposed to be which is the nurses's job not yours, which made the situation worse
Don't take this the wrong way...but if I were you I'd write myself up. Not to lay blame on anyone, or say it's anyone's fault. In our facility we do "improvement reports." It's not to get yourself in trouble, but it's how to prevent this sort of thing from happening again to another patient in the future. Mistakes happen, that's life. Prevent this from happening to another patient. Don't let the same mistake happen twice.
Pepper, I agree with everyone. And everyone has made mistakes. The best thing is that you learn from it. I as a nurse would respect you more for admitting that you made a mistake and that I could tell that you were genuially working on not trying to make it again. Its the cna's that hide things under the rug that I look out for.:sofahider
Continue to do a good job and soon this mistake will be behind you.
I have done it. As a matter of fact, as a nursing student....I lowered the head of the bed with a feed going and the aide that was with me said..."Hey...you gonna turn that off?" lol
You are a good and responsible person to live up to your mistakes. Your co-workers will forgive you.
Lets roll play- I'll be the nurse- "Thanks for busting your hump to get all those baths done. I know you didn't mean to hurt the patient by laying them flat. I bet you will remember not to do that ever again. I know I was upset the other day because I had to stay so long, but today is a new day. Have a donut.
(((((Hugs to you sweetie))))) !! We all have been there. You just keep your head up and keep doing the great job you do. We all support you !:heartbeat
:icon_hug: I am sorry you had a bad day. Most importantly you've acknowleged you faults and are moving forward.
As far as your coworkers views of you....dont read too much into it. Most of the time if you've apologized and are learning from your mistake, they will let it go. If you have someone who is one your case about it, then I suggest you bring that situation up to your superior. Workplace bullying should NOT be tolerated.
First off, it is the responsibility of the nurse to make sure that the NG tube is in place and periodic checks should be made to prevent this kind of thing from happening. I would imagine there is a policy in place stating this and the frequency of such checks. Had placement been checked and the tube secured properly, this probably would've never happened anyway.
And, since when did baths become priority when a chest tube is leaking and needing intervention????
Quit beating yourself up...and definitely don't write yourself up as one poster suggested. I would think that it's not in your scope of practice to be starting/stopping feeds anyway.
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. Just sending you a big :icon_hug:..thumb.jpg.fdeda4722b298c9060dd5ada86bad2cb.jpg){kind=small}
Miami NightNurse
284 Posts
We all make mistakes. That is one you'll never make again. If you are a good nurse's aide in general then I doubt anyone is going to hold this against you. Not only that sounds like the tube wasn't where it was supposed to be which is the nurses's job not yours, which made the situation worse